28 Oct Is Benching in a Cast Still Considered Raw?

By: 10/20/Journalist

Around a year ago, Scott Tully had a conversation with Ben Moore that eventually led to him reaching out to 10/20/Life coach Jonathan Byrd. After getting back into competing after a four-year break, 10/20/Life – primarily Brian Carroll’s experience with back rehab, the warm-up protocol, and the focus on training longevity – appealed to him. At the time, Tully was working 12+ hour days at Driven Fitness Center, a gym that he co-owns in Salina, KS. “I wanted to not think about my own training for a while,” Scott commented on why he sought out programming help.

Tully added 100 pounds to his previous meet total after his first competition prep with Byrd, who handled Scott’s programming for several months. He eventually began to do it himself using the 10/20/Life principles with some additional help from Jon. Later, Scott was prepping for a meet on October 17^th and at the time, his deadlift was up around 100 pounds, his bench 40-50 pounds, and his squat about 70 pounds from 11 months prior.

Scott recently competed in the Great Plains Regional Powerlifting Championships in Wichita, KS…in crutches. In addition to powerlifting competitively, he also does strongman and was planning on a competition in Las Vegas around a month and a half before his powerlifting meet. Scott, who turns 40 in November, wanted to hit one more strongman competition in the open class before transitioning to masters. “Training had been going great. My deadlift was approaching 700, bench was better than it had been in years, and squat was really coming around,” he said. “So the plan was to hit Sin City and then the Great Plains meet six weeks later.”

Tully went into his strongman competition with no injuries and his body feeling great. He started out the day properly hydrated and had a good run at his first event (325 pounds per hand farmer’s carry for 80 feet), where he placed fourth out of 11. The press medley followed, and that’s where things turned sour. “While dipping to push press a 280 pound log, I completely ruptured my quadriceps muscle. When I went down, I dropped the log on my opposite foot and ankle, causing a deep bone bruise. Let’s say it was not a fun trip home,” Scott said.

Two days after his competition and subsequent accident, Tully was in surgery to reattach his muscle. The six weeks leading up to his powerlifting meet were spent in a split for two weeks and a cast for four. Almost right before the meet, his cast was removed and he showed up to weigh-ins in a leg brace. While Scott originally planned on dropping out of the competition, he was given the okay to bench despite being in a cast. “My bench started coming around pretty well, even though I had to prop up my leg to leave it straight out,” he said.

You might be wondering why he decided to go through with his competition despite his injury. Tully wanted some motivation for training, but mainly just wanted to get back around the sport. “I competed due to hearing excuses about why people can’t train or why they aren’t ready to compete,” he said. “I figured if I can train in a full leg cast and bench with one leg, then maybe it will motivate people to sack up and put it on the line.”

Scott competed bench-only in sub-masters SHW and weighed in the night before the meet about 30 pounds lighter than he was a year before. Although he knew not to expect to push up his biggest numbers, he still went three for three. “I hit all three attempts at 353, 375, and 385, all raw. I left a good bit in the tank due to playing it safe,” Tully said. “You have to set new goals. Even though I’m not a good bencher, it makes me improve the lift.”

While recovering from his injury, Scott continues to utilize the 10/20/Life principles. He currently still follows the warm-up protocol and deloads every three weeks while using the RPE system for his training. “I’m on crutches for a few more weeks, and my first PT session is next week to recover range of motion, “ Tully said. “It will take the better part of the year to fully recover.”

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com

Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.

Latest posts by Brian Carroll (see all)

• Protected: -Header Image Post Template 2024 - April 18, 2024
• Brian Carroll X Professor Stu McGill full interview 2024 - April 16, 2024
• Protected: -Video Post Template 2024 - April 15, 2024